


The Solace

by Sorka42



Series: Little Black Dress Challenge Stories [3]
Category: Stargate Atlantis, The Sentinel
Genre: Alternate Universe - Sentinels & Guides, Drug Addiction, Episode Related, Episode: s02e03 Runner, Gen, Kidnapping, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-14
Updated: 2016-08-14
Packaged: 2018-08-08 19:11:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7769725
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sorka42/pseuds/Sorka42
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ronon didn't expect to find anyone on this barely survivable world, let alone a guide. But there was something wrong with the man. He smelled of Wraith and sickness. Ronon wanted to help him, but he didn't dare with the tracker in his back.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Solace

**Author's Note:**

> written for the July 2016 Little Black Dress writing challenge. All mistakes are mine. Edited, not betaed.

When he was a boy on Sateda, Ronon Dex had loved to sleep outside under the stars. Filled with the knowledge that out there were hundreds of other worlds with people living out there. It was a comfort to know that for all the distance between the stars, all you needed was the correct address and you could find yourself on another world. He had hoped that one day he would be among the fortunate few that were allowed to travel through the Ancestor's Ring. 

Those brave men and women that would step beyond their planet and travel for various reasons. Mostly for trade proposes, as boring as that sounded to a young man. Others, however, sought alliances with other planets to stand up to the ancient enemy, the Wraith. 

It had been generations since the last culling and many wanted to believe that the Wraith were gone for good. So they built their cities bigger and taller, flouting their achievements for all to see. They made stronger weapons and machines that could fly. Their leaders hoped they would be able to take out wraith Darts before they could cull. As the technology advanced, the Satedan army grew larger. It was a volunteer force, but it had one great advantage. If you served for ten years, you were allowed to join any Caste when your tour of duty ended. Many took advantage of this, especially the Labor caste who were trapped in the drudgery of the back breaking manual tasks of harvesting crops or garbage collection with no possible way of advancement no matter how intelligent or diligent they were at their tasks. 

Like many children of his planet, his other great hope was that he would turn out to be one of the Guardians. Elite warriors chosen by blood and fate to protect the people. His grandfather had been one, or so he had been told. It seemed like such an honor to an innocent boy. That had been before his senses came online. That had been before he learned the price of the Solace. 

Every guardian needed a steward, a person that help maintain their personal and spiritual balance in the world. Stewards were nearly as revered as Guardians for their empathy and service to the people of Sateda regardless of caste. The bond that formed when the rare fully compatible partners found one another was called the Solace, for it eased the burden carried by both. Unfortunately, you were only allowed to search for a compatible steward within your own caste. Cross caste bonding was strictly forbidden and if that happened, both steward and sentinel would be forced out of society and banished through the Ancestor's Ring forbidden to return.

It was an irony that the Satedan government was so focused on finding the best ways to fight the Wraith, that they neglected one of their greatest weapons in such a fundamental way. At least one pare was banished every few years in a public shaming ritual that included the families of the pair turning their backs on them before they were sent away. Some had begun to protest the policy, saying that forced military service would be a more productive punishment. 

Not that it mattered anymore, not for Ronon anyway. He had joined the military in the hope that he might find a steward within the ranks. Then the Wraith came, not through the gate, but from the sky. He tried not to think about his home world. He didn't dare return, even if there was anything to return to.

The Wraith had taken him during the great culling when Darts flew through the air like great flocks of birds and turned him into a Runner. His childhood wish, gate travel, granted in the most messed up way possible. Now he went from planet to planet, never having a chance to really rest for more than a day. 

His heart burned with the need for vengeance but in the face of an eternal enemy it was all he could do to stay one step ahead of them. Eventually exhaustion would take hold and the iron grip he had on his senses would fail. He would lose himself in the fugue state and the Wraith would kill him. But before that happened, he planned on taking out as many as he could.

The planet he was currently on was one that he had found a few years back. It wasn't safe to stay outside during the day, the light burned in ways he knew was worse than on other planets. What made this world special for him was that there weren't any human settlements. There were plenty of edible plants and the wild life was abundant, if nearly all nocturnal. Even the Wraith were reluctant to venture out during the day. 

He had just set a few snares and set his bedroll to try and get a few hours of sleep when he sensed the power of the Ancestor's Ring activate. He tensed and ran to see who or what had come through the ring. 

He stared in shock at the man who moved though the trees. He was dark skinned and well muscled. He wore a clothes that were dyed in a deliberate camouflage pattern, including the cloth that covered his hair. He moved with the confidence of a soldier, but there was something about him that didn't seem right. 

The man spent time setting up a few large snares along obvious paths through the thick vegetation. Ronon knew those kinds of snares, he used them himself from time to time. They were designed to catch bipedal prey not four legged. Whoever this man was, he wasn't just some simple villager looking to catch some game to bring home. This man had a darker propose in mind. 

There was a growling chirp like sound to his left, he glanced at Farroe, his spirit animal in surprise. He hadn't seen the flightless raptor other than in his dreams for months. The Skeet was one of the largest predators on Sateda, the dark brown and gray feathers covered it made for excellent camouflage in the dry grassy plains of the southern continent. 

The wind shifted and Ronon opened his senses and let the sent of the man roll over him. He closed his eyes and tasted the man on the wind. He opened them again in shock. The man's sent was tainted by Wraith and sickness, but there was something else. Something he hadn't sensed in many years. The man was a Steward or he had the potential to be one. Perhaps he was a Runner as well? Ronon planned to keep an eye on this one, maybe they could help each other.

** **

Aiden stepped through the gate onto another world, the fifth world he had visited since he'd fled Atlantis. There wasn't anything in the Marine Corp Guide handbook that could have explained to Lt. Aiden Ford how it was that he had failed in his duty so spectacularly. 

He looked around, his eyes catching the unmistakable imprint of shoes that were of Wraith manufacture in the soft earth. He smiled to himself, the tracks were fresh, only a few hours old at the most. A single Wraith was an easy target. He would set a few traps and get what he needed while he was here. 

Once he stopped shaking he would have time to figure out how to explain his actions. He ran the tips of his fingers across his lips thoughtfully. He needed to prove to Major Sheppard and Col. Everett that he had found the key to defeating the Wraith. The enzyme they used to feed on humans could be used against them. He had met Col. Everett before, the man was a good commander, he had to see the military advantage even if Sheppard didn't. 

Sheppard. Aiden was a good soldier, an excellent guide, his service record was spotless. He had been trusted with the health and safety of almost a dozen different sentinels. He should have been good enough. It wasn't fair. He would prove that he was good enough. 

He worked for several hours making traps and snares to capture anything bipedal that walked the paths away from the gate. He hoped they came back soon, he was itching for a fight. Which was so unlike him, growing up, he'd been considered helpful and considerate, the typical guide. Unlike some people that thought they could act as mean and rude as they wanted and still find that a Sentinel wanted them. 

*

Dealing with his Guide talent growing up, Aiden Ford had seen the best and the worst of human interaction. He knew that most normal people's actions weren't driven by malice, but by personal experience and fear of the unknown. Like many children born with his abilities, his parents had been a bonded pair. Alicia and Jeffery Ford had been part of the emergency response teams in San Francisco. His father had been a paramedic, his mother psychologist with EMT training. They had been loving caring parents that had tried their best to instill a strong moral and ethical center in their young child. They had been thrilled when Aiden had announced that he could see his spirit animal at an early age, he'd had to research what the bird was, as the Martial's Eagle wasn't exactly a well known raptor. 

His parents had been on their way to work the evening shift when the earthquake hit. The upper level of the double-decker highway they had been driving on had pancaked on top of their car, killing them instantly. Aiden had cried for a week, knowing almost instantly that they were gone.

He had lived with this grandmother, his closest blood relative, for the first few weeks while the chaos that was the city he was born in slowly returned to some semblance of normal. When the lists of the missing and the dead had been finalized, there had been a knock on his grandmother's door. Two strangers had come with official papers and had taken Aidan away.

It wasn't until he was older that he understood he had been taken into the custody of the Guide and Sentinel Association for his own protection. There had been groups that had tried to take advantage of the chaos of the moment and attempted to kidnap half a dozen children of Gifted decent. He had been lucky, he'd already been staying with his grandmother for the night, when the quake hit. 

Once in the clutches of the GSA it wasn't long before what had been a single voluntary class on Control and Meditation once a week, when he had been living at home, turned into daily classes at the Center. Every day after school he had to report any problems he might have emotionally or physically. He'd learned it all, absorbed it like a sponge, as a way to deal with the pain of losing his parents. He received the highest marks in all of his classes. He was praised for his dedication and commitment to his gifts.

When he joined the Marines, he was sent to Guide Basic. Which was very similar to standard Marine Basic, except that he was trained to shield his empathy during high stress and combat situations. It was used to keep the pain of the other members of his unit from overwhelming him in the field, but it also kept him from projecting pain onto his fellow Marines. 

All through his years of extensive training, he had been introduced to dozens of Sentinels. All of them as eager to meet him as he was to meet them. There was nothing more important in the career of a Guide than to finally find that one Sentinel that was the right fit in both temperament and ability. Unfortunately he couldn't find a Sentinel that was right. Some of them were close and he was often partnered with them as an interim Guide during maneuvers. He was good at what he did, he had been told by all of his instructors that he was gifted and talented, they all expected great reports from him when he went into the field. After several successful missions as an Interim Guide was given the designation of Surrogate. Which meant that he could work and maintain almost any sentinel in an emergency. 

Then he was given a special assignment, a Sentinel had come online on a highly classified mission and they needed an emergency surrogate as a buffer until his senses stabilized. Ford was taken deep into Cheyenne Mountain and read into the Stargate Program. He had spent a week maintaining Lt. Graham Simmons' levels and breaking the man out of fugue states while they searched for a better match.

When the guide they were searching for finally arrived, it hadn't been though the main elevators, it had been through the Stargate, one of the gate teams had an unbonded guide named Dr. Rothman. He had been considered by many at the SGC to be arrogant and condescending to soldiers. But the moment he knew what was happening, he had stepped in and taken Ford's place. Aiden had stepped aside and let the pair get to know each other as he was trained to do, but he had felt a pang of disappointment that he had not been enough for the Air Force Lieutenant. 

Ford had expected to be sent back to his unit, instead he had been fully read into the program. Before he knew it, he was part of a group that had been assigned as security for an Ancient base down in Antarctica under the command of Col. Marshal Sumner. A man with tough as nails attitude that Ford hoped to one day emulate. It was supposed to be the beginning of his rise as an officer, even if he never found a Sentinel of his own. He was proud of his service to his country and his planet.

* 

The gate activated and a single Wraith stepped through. It was one of the males and he was alone. Ford watched from his perch as the Wraith peered into the dark of the forest before heading down one of the paths. It was rare to see one by themselves. The males tended to be escorted by at least two drones. 

Ford waited until the Wraith had made his way deeper into the dense undergrowth before slowly lowering himself to the ground. He checked his weapons and quietly followed his target. Ford watched as the Wraith fiddled with some sort of hand held device turning it in different directions, before continuing on. It was so intent on the device, it never saw the snare it stepped into.

The Wraith let out a startled shriek as it was whipped off his feet and lifted into the air. It howled in rage as it tried in vain to reach the rope that held it suspended, upside down, three feet above the ground. It swung back in forth as it struggled, its long white hair dragging with each swing, getting leaves and twigs matted in it.

Ford couldn't help the laugh the escaped him at the sight. The wraith hissed when he saw him, trying to look intimidating, but it only made Ford laugh harder. The empathic waves of fear and anger coming off the creature buffeted Ford's mental shields making him grin like a maniac. The enzyme in his system made the strong negative emotions give him a visceral thrill. 

“Man I bet you feel stupid,” he said. He pulled out a knife as he approached. “Now we can do this he easy way or the hard way. Which will it be?” 

The wraith hissed and reached for the device on his arm. Ford dropped his knife and shot the wraith in the head in a lightning quick move. “Easy way it is then,” he said to himself. “They always go for the self destruct. No skin off my nose if they want to die quick.” It was disappointing to feel the end of the psychic noise give off by the wraith, but he needed the enzyme.

He walked over to where he had secured the end of the snare and cut it, letting the body crash to the ground. He sliced through the leather like material of the Wraith's clothes so that he could access the bare skin. With practiced skill he cut open the wraith's arm and carefully removed the venom sack, which he placed in a resealable plastic bag and put it in his backpack. He would extract the enzyme in a more secure spot. With one last glance down at the body he headed deeper into the forest, whistling to himself as he went. 

 

** **

Ronon had watched as the man had killed the wraith with a casualness that spoke of practice. Then he had mutilated it, taking something from the wraith's body before discarding the rest of it as little more than trash. It was a waist of resources, which spoke of someone used to having easy access to supplies. 

That meant that this man, this Steward, was not a Runner. For that Ronon was grateful, his education told him that a Steward was best served by having close emotional ties, friends and family, to keep them stable. A Runner could not afford to stay near anyone for more than a day or two. No one that was sane would bring the wraith to their own people's doorstep. Whatever it was that he took from the body, it was obviously important. 

With quick efficiency, Ronon stripped the wraith body of anything useful. The stunner would come in handy as would the stun grenades. The wound in the arm was a clean, almost surgical cut that left an obvious void in the muscles of the arm. His senses told him all he needed to know about what had been taken. Every victim of a wraith feeding had reeked of the same smell that wafted out of the cavity. 

He wanted to go after the Steward to find out what business he had taking the venom sack of a Wraith. What possible use could he have for something like that? But he had stayed on this planet too long as it was. He knew better, but he felt a pull toward him that was nearly irresistible. He headed for the Ancestor's Ring in hopes that this strange man would stay on the planet for a few more days. 

**

Ford watched with great anticipation as the stargate activated. He hoped it was another Wraith, the last ones enzyme sack had been full, so he had enough for a week or so, but it was always good to keep a healthy supply of whatever you needed. 

He was disappointed when instead of a wraith, it was a gate team from Atlantis. He stared at them from his roost high up in the trees and listened to the young scientist talk about the importance of studying the flora on this world, due to the high levels of solar radiation. He snorted quietly, like anyone was going to care about the ozone layer when the Wraith reached the Earth. 

Ford was shocked to realize that he knew the soldier form Cheyenne Mountain. Ford had known Evan Lorne casually. He was a good soldier for an Air Force officer, dedicated to his team and well liked and respected in the SGC. He had been a captain the last time Ford had spoken to him directly. Apparently he had earned a promotion to Major. He wondered idly if Lorne had replaced Major Sheppard. After all, Colonel Everett had disliked the sentinel from the moment they met. It would have been easy for an officer of the colonel's standing to order Sheppard back to Earth.

There was a tiny part of Ford that tried to remember why Everett might not be in charge. Hadn't the colonel been wounded? How bad could it have been? After all, he, himself, was still standing after having fallen into the ocean with a Wraith trying to feed off of him. 

“Major!” the scientist's shock and fear wafted off of him in waves. Ford breathed deep and let it pass through him, they had found the wraith's body. Then Major Lorne started pulling out glow sticks and tossing them around the body to mark it before heading back to the gate. Ford decided that now was a good time to move his camp a bit deeper into the jungle. It wouldn't do to be found before he could prove to them what an advantage he had now. 

 

** 

 

When Ronon returned to the planet a few days later, he was annoyed to find he had come at early sunrise and not at dusk like he had hoped. The differences in planetary rotation were often hard to predict without a timer. He was further surprised that not only could he sense the Steward was still there, but there was evidence that other humans had been here not long ago. Chemical light sticks that were nearly spent lay around the area that the wraith's body had lain. Obvious sets of more than a dozen separate human tracks covered the area, crushing the local vegetation. 

Who would take a wraith body? So many planets feared the stark reality of Wraith retribution why take the risk? These were not like any of the people he had met through the gate system. He thought he might like to meet them before the Wraith finally caught up with him. 

With so many new scents lingering, it was hard to pick out where the steward had gone, but he moved slowly, working farther out from the gate until he found a cave where it looked like the steward had been camping, but had moved on from. He set his own gear down and set up is sleeping mat. He could get a few hours rest before the sun went down again, then he would start searching. 

He woke not long after closing his eyes to the unmistakable vibration of the Ancestor's Ring activating. Extending his hearing didn't show him what he expected. Instead of the wail of a Dart or the heavy steps of a wraith, there was a soft whine o an engine the likes of which he had never heard before. He was up and moving before he was even conscious of his actions. These people would have to leave. The Wraith would be coming and he wasn't going have put their lives at risk. 

Hours later he tried to figure out how his attempt to get them to leave had turned into a hostage situation, with him taking the hostages. He blamed it on the scent of the Steward nearby and the fact that he was dealing with the first Guardian he had met in years. 

But this Guardian wasn't like any he had known. Sheppard spoke in a laconic almost lazy way that belied the aura of barely contained power that surrounded him. He smelled of aggression and it was obvious he was worried about his missing people. 

“Look, Ronon,” Colonel Sheppard said, he was trying to be calm, but he looked ready to attack at any moment. “We need to find my friend, I think the man we are looking for may have taken him. You're like me, a Sentinel. You have to understand how important having a Guide is.”

“Guardian,” Ronon said harshly, it had been a long time since he had spoken to anyone.

“You're known as a Guardian by your people?” Teyla asked.

“Yeah, if you friend is your Steward, why did you let him go off alone?”

“I didn't,” Sheppard said though gritted teeth. “Major Lorne was with him. He should have been safe enough for a short recon.” 

“Maybe you need to keep a better eye on what is yours.” Ronon retorted. “The Steward that took him, was he one of yours too?”

“Ford is one of my people, yes,” John replied. “We're trying to help him.”

“What is wrong with him? He smells like a wraith fed corpse.” 

“Look, Ford is sick, he needs help.” Sheppard replied. 

“You know how the wraith feed?” Teyla asked patiently. 

“They have a venom they inject as they feed,” Ronon confirmed. “I felt it when they were starting to feed on me. I don't know why it stopped.”

“A wraith died as it was feeding on him and gave him an overdose of the venom. It affected his mind in some way,” John explained. “He doesn't know what he's doing and I'm worried he'll hurt my guide out of a misplaced sense of jealousy.”

Ronon stopped going through their packs and stared at Sheppard. “You rejected him.”

“He was assigned to work with me, but we weren't compatible,” Sheppard admitted. “The commander of our military had ordered him to work as an interim guide while we were on this mission. Colonel Sumner wasn't a Sentinel, he didn't understand that if you're not compatible, you can't force it.” 

“You've achieved the Solace with your steward?” Ronon asked, surprised.

“Solace?” John asked. 

“When you've found the one for you.” Ronon replied. “I don't know what you would call it.”

“We call it the Bond.” John said. “Rodney is my bonded guide. I'll do everything I can to protect him and right now I'm doing everything I can to keep from killing you because you're keeping me from finding him.” The sudden appearance of a large avian creature next to Sheppard was startling. It raised it's enormous wings and shrieked in agitation. 

Ronon's Skeet appeared and shrieked back in protest, yet while Farroe was taller and had more mass, the bird had it cowed in less than a minute. No spirit animal on his planet had ever intimidated his Skeet. That could only mean one thing, this Guardian, this Sentinel was strong, possibly, worthy of his trust. 

“Now that we've established our ranks,” Sheppard said with a roll of his eyes. As if he hated the posturing that had just happened. “Will you help us find our people?”

“I would help you, but if you don't let me through the gate, the Wraith will come and take us all,” Ronon replied. 

“You're a Runner?” Teyla asked, her eyes wide in horror.

“Yes,” Ronon admitted. “I was taken when the Wraith culled my world. Instead of feeding on me, they stuck a tracker in my back and let me free. I can't stay anywhere too long or they come.” 

“How long have you been running?” Sheppard asked.

“Six years,” Ronon admitted. 

“Listen, we have a doctor, he can get that tracker out of your back,” Sheppard said.

“I've had people try before,” Ronon admitted.

“You haven't met my doctor,” Sheppard replied. 

Ronon didn't want to feel hope, but Skeet and the bird chirp at each other, a short conversation. Then a wave a reassurance flowed between himself and the spirit animal. “Alright, but you stay here, Teyla goes.” 

Less than two hours later Teyla returned to the cave with a man named Beckett and Ronon was free of the device that had ruled his life for just over half a decade. He never in his wildest dreams thought that would happen. He didn't know who these people really were, but if they all survived this day, he would dedicate himself to their cause.

** **

Ford gave McKay another shove. The man was useless in the jungle most of the time, his insistence on wearing that stupid radiation suit made him doubly so. He itched to just dump McKay as dead weight, but he needed to prove that he was right. If it took showing McKay the way things were than that was how it had to be. 

“Please, Ford,” McKay said. “Let's head back to the gate. When we get to Atlantis we can run tests on you.”

“No!” Ford yelled in frustration. “No tests. You just want to take this away from me.” He glared at the scientist. “Just like you took Sheppard.” 

“How many times do I have to tell you, I didn't take John from you!” Rodney shouted back. “He was never yours!” 

“Col. Sumner gave him to me!” Ford growled, poking his own chest hard with the barrel of his gun. “He ordered me to guide him.” He didn't know why someone as smart as McKay was supposed to be couldn't understand that. “He was mine!”

“No, he wasn't,” McKay replied wide eyed. “Sumner had no right to assign you that duty. He was a mundane with very little understanding of how bonding works. You should have known better. In fact you do know better. You've had years more guide experience and training than me.”

“It's not fair!” Ford yelled. “What is it about you that makes you so goddamned special? You don't meditate, you don't comfort people. Even your spirit animal is a freak!” He pointed his gun at the Kea parrot that was sitting on top of his own Marshal's Eagle pulling feathers out one by one. “Who does that? That is just rude.” 

“No, what is rude is you treating your spirit animal with so little respect,” Rodney shot back. “Or do you really think that he got that way on his own.” 

“He's fine.” Ford replied. “He's just getting used to me being so much stronger.” The eagle looked like it had been going through a molting for several weeks. He had blow it off as some weird spirit animal thing.

“You aren't stronger,” McKay said pleadingly. “You're sick. Your continued use of the enzyme is hurting you and in turn hurting your spirit animal.” 

“Like you care.” Ford stared at McKay and then smiled. “You're scared of me. I can feel it coming off you in waves.” 

“Of course I'm scared of you. You kidnapped me and you're holding a gun on me,” McKay replied. “You've threatened to kill me half a dozen times during this death march.”

“I don't believe this. You're scared out of your mind and you still won't shut up!” Ford pushed into McKay's personal space and put the barrel of his gun against the scientist's temple. 

“Ford!” John Sheppard shouted from across the clearing. He had his rifle pointed at him, his eyes were hard and unwavering. “Drop your weapon and step away from McKay.” 

Aiden turned in surprise. How had Sheppard found him so quickly? He wasn't ready yet. Then he saw another man come out of the trees. He was huge, with dreadlocks and a sword strapped to his back. Then what looked like a feathered veloceraptor appeared beside him. He felt an odd pull toward this giant of a man, but a wave a anger clouded over his mind. “Don't come any closer,” he yelled.

“I'm not going to argue,” Sheppard said. “The Wraith are on their way. We can't afford for them to get a hold of any of us. Drop your weapons or I drop you.”

“You would kill me?” Ford asked. “Over McKay?”

“If I have to,” Sheppard replied.

The unmistakable whine if a Dart echoed through the forest. Ford felt his heart trip at the thought of getting more enzyme. He looked up as the Dart came into view.

He suddenly felt a pair on hands grab his head. He tried to pull away but he was flooded with a wave after wave of desperate emotion from one of the most powerful minds he had ever felt. It all culminated into a command at the center of his brain that he was incapable of resisting. 

“SLEEP” 

**

The sun was nearly down by the time Ronon, Teyla, and Sheppard found Ford and McKay's trail. It was a meandering mess of misdirection. Ronon couldn't help but wonder if it was deliberate or if Ford's sickness made it harder for him to walk in a straight line. 

They heard the pair before they saw them. The two stewards shouting at each other. McKay reeked of anger and fear but his voice was steady. Ford's scent was a mess of mixed signals most of which made no logical sense. They reached the top of a small ridge and found the two men face to face. Things went from concerning to life threatening in a split second when Ford pointed his pistol at McKay's head. 

“Ford!” Sheppard's voice echoed through the woods. His long gun was primed and ready to fire. “Drop the gun and step away from McKay.”

The steward in question spun in surprise, his face was scared and his left eye was black. His body trembled ever so slightly, but there was something about him. Ronon turned to see his spirit animal watching Ford with great interest. She chirped softly her head tilted in curiosity. Ford blinked and seemed to shift gears, he pointed the gun at McKay again. “Don't come any closer!”

Sheppard shifted his stance getting ready to fire. “I'm not going to argue. The Wraith are on their way. We can't afford for them to get a hold of any of us. Drop your weapons,” he ordered. “Or I'll drop you.”

“You'd shoot me? Over McKay?” His disgust and incredulity was writ large.

“If I have to,” Sheppard sounded determined, but regretful.

The Dart that Ronon had been listening to for the past few minutes suddenly turned in their direction and it approached close enough for the stewards to hear. Ford was distracted by it he turned his attention away from the people around him. 

In that moment, McKay acted. He grabbed Ford from behind, his bare hands gripped his head tightly, fingers digging into his temples. Ford's mouth dropped in a silent scream, as he tried to get away, then he collapsed to the ground, not moving.

Sheppard ran to his steward and hugged him tight. “Are you okay?” 

“No,” McKay replied. “I'm hungry, I'm dehydrated, I have sunburn on my scalp and now I have a headache.”

Sheppard chucked in relief. “What did you do to him?” 

“I forced him into a very deep sleep,” McKay said. “I put him so for under, normally, I'd say he won't wake for days. But with the enzyme in his system, we've probably got a few hours.” 

“Right,” John nodded all playfulness gone. He grabbed long range communicator. “Major Lorne, do you copy?” 

“Yes, sir. Good to hear you.”

“Report on Wraith activity.”

“Two Darts came through the gate ten minutes ago. All personnel are accounted for and the Jumpers are currently cloaked. Your orders, sir?” 

“McKay is safe and Ford has been secured,” Sheppard replied. “Get the Jumpers in the air. We need immediate evac. Eliminate all threats with prejudice.” 

“Yes, sir, Lorne out.”

Sheppard turned to Ronon and gave him a reassuring smile. “You're welcome to join us if you want.”

“What place would I have with your people?” Ronon asked.

“We're fighting the Wraith,” John replied. “We can use any information you can give us on them, but that isn't what I meant.” 

“What did you mean?” Ronon looked to his right where there was an explosion in the distance. One of the Darts had just been destroyed. 

“You've been running a long time,” John said. “Come home with us, have a shower, a hot meal, and a comfortable bed to sleep on. When you're ready, we'll dial the gate and send you where ever you want to go.”

“Just like that?” Ronon asked, skeptically.

“Just like that,” John nodded. He knelt down and secured Ford's wrists and ankles with some kind of thin white shackles. 

“Why?” Ronon replied. 

“Why not?” John asked.

Ronon thought that was actually the best answer he could have hoped for. “Okay.”

“Really?” McKay huffed. 

“Really,” Ronon replied. “Where are we going anyway?” He heard the engine and stepped back in amazement when a ship of Ancestor design appeared in the air above them. It landed in the clearing and the rear hatch opened.

“Atlantis,” McKay replied. “The lost city of the Ancients.” 

Ronon helped carry Ford into the ship and sat down on one of the benches. For the first time in a long time he felt the weight in his chest ease. It was a strange sensation that felt a lot like hope.

** ** 

Aiden stood at attention in front of Col. Sumner's desk. He had been waiting for acknowledgment for several minutes, but he was used to it. Sumner was reading the reports from the Ancient outpost. Ford wasn't sure why he, specifically, had been ordered to report directly. He was just happy to be back at McMurdo where at least there was central heating. 

“At ease, Lieutenant.” Sumner said when he finally looked up. “I've been reading the reports about the accidental launch of the drone by Dr. Beckett and the subsequent discovery that Air Force Major John Sheppard has an exceptionally strong expression of the ATA gene. I would like your opinion on the events that led to the major sitting in the control chair.”

“Sir,” Aiden began. “Dr. McKay was attempting to get Dr. Beckett to activate the chair when the missile launched and targeted the helicopter that Major Sheppard was transporting General O'Neill in. Major Sheppard was able to out maneuver the drone long enough to allow Dr. Beckett to shut it down.”

“Stop,” Sumner said sharply. “I said I wanted your opinion, not an oral report. You're a guide, your abilities are recorded to be level three across the board. I want your professional assessment.”

“Right, sorry, sir.” Aiden mentally shifted gears. “Dr. Beckett is terrified of Ancient technology. He's a nice guy and a decent doctor but he lets his emotions rule his actions. He shouldn't be allowed near the control chair again since he lacks mental discipline when it comes to dealing with weapons.”

“So noted,” Col. Sumner replied. “Please continue.” 

“Major Sheppard seems to have a natural ability to manipulate Ancient technology,” Aiden said. “Dr. McKay and Dr. Zelenka were extremely excited to work with him. I was surprised to learn he is an unbonded sentinel. I didn't think they allowed them to be pilots.”

“Normally they aren't, but Sheppard hasn't had a known sensory episode his entire military career,” Sumner said. “You man not be aware that the civilian leader of the Atlantis Expedition is insisting that Major Sheppard be added to the mission. Under the current command structure this would mean that he will outrank you. Do you have any problems with that?” 

“No, sir,” Aiden replied, trying not to wince. “I look forward to working with him.”

“You'll be working very closely with Major Sheppard, Lieutenant. As of now I am assigning you to be his interim guide,” Sumner said. 

“Really?” Aiden felt his heart pounding at the idea of working with Sheppard in that capacity. 

“Sheppard is a wild card and I want someone I can trust keeping an eye on him. There is only one other guide of record on the expedition,” Sumner replied. “So chances are good you'll be bonded to Sheppard before the end of our first month.” 

Aiden was nearly giddy with excitement. He knew of bonding that occurred out of necessity and while that wasn't ideal, a bond was something that he's wanted for a long time. 

“Before you get to excited, Lieutenant. I want to emphasize that your duties as a soldier come first in my command,” Sumner said seriously. “You are a soldier first and a guide second. If he steps out of line, you will report to me. If he tries to pull any crap or go against orders, you are authorized to use whatever means necessary to keep him in check. Is that understood?”

“Sir, a sentinel can't be forced to act against their instincts,” Aiden replied cautiously.

“I don't give a rats ass about the mystical mumbo-jumbo the so called experts are always spouting,” Sumner stood and glared at Ford. “You will keep Sheppard in check.” 

“Yes, sir.” Aiden replied, wide eyed. “I'll do my best.” 

“I know you will, Lieutenant,” Sumner replied. “Dismissed.” 

Aiden saluted and exited the office. Sergeant Bates was heading in his direction. “Sgt. Bates, is Major Sheppard still on base?” 

“No, sir,” Bates replied. “He flew Dr. McKay and Dr. Jackson back to the outpost. They wanted to try try and download more information from the database before the transport arrived to take everyone back to Cheyenne Mountain. They said they would be back before dusk.” 

“Thank you,” Aiden replied. He would be able to talk to Sheppard tonight. There was obviously some issue that caused the colonel to be distrustful of the Air Force major. The best course of action would be to establish a working relationship and go from there.

**

Ronon watched from the observation window as the doctors and security personnel worked to save a life that didn't seem to want to be saved. Aiden Ford, the steward had been fighting everyone since the moment he woke up. 

McKay's assessment of when the man would regain consciousness had only been off by a few minutes, but it had been long enough to get Ford into the isolation ward and secured. 

“Let me go!” Ford screamed from his bed. He arched up his entire body, pulling against the restraints. 

“Bloody hell,” Dr. Beckett cursed and reached for his patient. “Get the chest restraints before he dislocates his shoulders.”

A few minutes later Ford was practically immobile on the bed, though that didn't keep him from tugging every few minutes. Beckett ordered gauze wrapped around his wrists, then set about treating him. Taking vial after vial of blood and setting up bags of fluids on stands that where injected straight into his veins. 

“Scary looking isn't it?” Sheppard said from his right. 

“Not really.” Ronon shrugged. “My surrogate, Melena, was a healer. She did things like this a lot.”

“Surrogate?” John asked.

“When we need a Steward but haven't found our own, the government assigns a trained surrogate. Most of the time they are people that have medical training, but no real gifts.” Ronon swallowed hard, thinking of her bright blonde hair and green eyes. “Melena was a very kind and gentle person. She helped when she could, but it isn't the same as having a real Steward.” 

“I take it she didn't make it off Sateda,” John said softly.

“No, the Wraith bombed the healing center where she worked,” Ronon replied. “I heard her screaming as the roof came down. There was nothing to do but keep fighting.”

“I'm sorry,” John said. “It's never easy to lose someone.” He cleared his throat and changed the subject. “Beckett released you from the infirmary?” He gestured at Ronon's scrubs.

“Yeah, he said I should go find the mess hall and get something to eat.” He nodded down at Ford. “I wanted to see how he was doing.” 

“Beckett is doing everything he can.” John said. “Flushing the enzyme out of his system in going to take a while. Even then he may crave it for years to come.” 

“What will happen to him?” Ronon asked. 

“Ideally, I'd like to send him back to Earth to heal, but it might actually be worse than keeping him here.” John looked at Ronon. “Why?” 

“There was something about him. When I first saw him,” Ronon shook his head. “I felt this pull, but with him so sick...”

John turned to face him fully. “Are you saying you're drawn to him, as a guide?”

“I don't know,” Ronon shook his head. “I've never felt affinity for anyone on my world. I'm not even sure what I felt was real. But I don't know him and I don't know your laws. I don't want to step into something I don't understand.”

“Our laws concerning Sentinels and Guides are actually fairly simple,” John said. “But I'm not a legal expert. What I can tell you is that if you think Ford might be your guide, no one is going to keep the two of you apart. In fact bond interference is strictly forbidden, except in cases of coercion, which are extremely rare.”

“What if they are members of different Castes?” Ronon asked, surprised by this.

“Castes?” John started. “As a planet, there is no caste system on Earth. Some some ethnic groups have them but there is a push to end them. Even those groups would never interfere with a bonding. They are celebrated and revered no matter who they are.” 

Ronon tilted his head. “Ford didn't seem to happy about you and McKay.” 

“Unfortunately,” John winced. “That is on me and my former commander.” 

“How so?” Ronon asked. 

“Walk with me and I'll explain.” John turned and headed out the door. 

Ronon looked down at Ford one more time before following. John lead them down a long corridor.

“When I was made a part of this mission, to find Atlantis, there had been no sentinels selected to go.” John said. “On our planet it is considered rude to speak ill of the dead.” 

“You going to do it anyway?” Ronon asked. 

“Yeah,” John brought him to a secluded balcony and turned to face him. “Col. Sumner was an excellent commander when it came to regular soldiers, but he didn't have a clue when it came to sentinels or guides. He ordered Ford to work as my guide. Why Ford agreed to I couldn't tell you, but he should have known better.”

“What is the other side?” Ronon asked. “You said that you were also to blame.” 

“McKay,” John sighed. “I knew he was my guide, hell we both knew it, but we didn't say anything to anyone else, except another guide named Danial Jackson. We were concerned that Sumner and possibly Dr. Weir would decide to exclude us from the mission.” 

“If bonding is so revered, why wouldn't they want you on the mission,” Ronon asked.

“There have been times when a Sentinel and Guide pair have usurped the power structure of a mission because they believed those in charge were not working toward the health and safety of all those under their care,” John said. “There is a story called the 'Mutiny on the Bounty' where a bonded pair took over a ship that sailed across the oceans. Captain Bligh treated all of the crew with equal cruelty. One day he took it too far and the sentinel and his guide organized a revolt. They stuck the captain and the few crew still loyal to him on a row boat and set them adrift.”

“So bonded pairs are considered dangerous?” Ronon asked.

“Not dangerous, so much as a potential threat. There has to be a real problem if a bonded pair steps in,” John replied. “If things went bad and I decided to interfere, as a Sentinel, my word carries a lot of weight. If I had a bond with McKay, as he is the Chief Science Officer, and I am second in command in the military, we could have taken over the Expedition and very few people would call our motives into question.”

“So you lied about being bonded,” Ronon said. 

“Yes, Ford was so much lower in ability compared to me, he couldn't actually tell.” John rubbed his head. “That isn't his fault either. We hid it very well.”

“We were on Atlantis for less than a day when everything went to hell. I was forced to kill Sumner because a queen wraith was trying to get the location of our planet from him.” John sighed. “Ford kept trying to get me to agree to bond with him. I kept pushing him off. Then the Genii invaded the city.

“They nearly killed us all, Rodney got hurt, trying to help me and I went feral. By the time I calmed down, the Genii leader was in pieces and the rescue team from the mainland was well aware that we were a bonded pair.” John sighed. “Ford has never gotten over it. He blamed McKay for stealing me from him. Even though I would have never bonded with him even if he had been the only guide in the city.”

“So you're worried I might hurt him?” Ronon asked.

“I'm worried that with everything that has happened to him, he might hurt you,” John replied.

“I'm pretty tough.” Ronon said, leaning against the balcony.

“I see that,” John looked out into the ocean. “If you want, I'll tell Dr. Beckett to let you into Isolation so he can feel you even through the drugs. Don't try bonding while he's still vulnerable, but let him know you're there for him. It might help him recover.”

“Okay.” Ronon agreed.

“Great,” John rubbed his hands together. “Now we go get lunch.” He turned and lead the way to more fresh food than Ronon had seen in years.

** **

There was a persistent beeping somewhere nearby, it was slow and steady, but not very loud. There was something over his eyes, covering them. Aiden tried to reach up and remove it but he found his hands and arms were secured, making it impossible to move. Panic started to swell up in his chest. Where was he? What had happened? There was something down his throat. He couldn't breath! 

“Easy there, lad,” a familiar voice said. “You're in good hands.” 

A confusion of voices filled the quiet and then there were hands on him. Large warm calloused hands and a voice that was deep and a bit rough. They were attached to a presence that had been floating near him for a while. “Relax, you're safe.”

“We're going to remove the breathing tube. Just relax and breathe out when I say so.” That was Dr. Beckett, he remembered that voice.

A few minutes later the tube was gone, but he was still blind and tied down. He felt so weak, like he had when he was six years old and had the flu. “Where am I?” 

“You're on Atlantis,” the other voice said. “Do you remember what happened?” 

Aiden struggled to remember. It was hazy, flashes of different planets. The persistent burning need to prove that he was right and everyone else was wrong. Feeding off the fear he had created in the wraith when he killed them. There was a flash of memory, he was holding a gun to Dr. McKay's head. 

“What did I do?” Aiden asked. He didn't think he hurt anyone, but he couldn't be sure. It was horrible not knowing. 

“You were lost for a while, Aiden,” a woman said. He knew that voice, Teyla. He felt tears pick in his eyes at the waves of kindness she sent to him. “But you are home now. All you need to do is relax and heal.” 

The large hand touched his forearm started to pull away. “Don't go,” he pleaded. 

The hand returned and gave him a gentle squeeze. “I'm right here.”

He drifted for a while, the gnawing need that had ruled his existence for ages seemed distant and muted. That was good, it helped him be able to ignore it. When he opened his eyes again, some time later, the gauze that had been covering his eyes was gone. 

He looked around the room he knew to the the secure isolation ward in Atlantis. There was an IV in his arm, and he was strapped down on the bed. There was a warm presence next to him that was connected to the hand currently hold his left hand. Their fingers were laced together loosely. He turned to look at the man holding his hand and couldn't help staring. The man was wearing hospital scrubs, but this was no nurse. The long dreadlocks and beard were familiar. He had met him briefly on that last world he was on. His eyes were closed and he appeared to be asleep in the uncomfortable hard plastic chair.

“Hey,” he said, or tried to. It came out more like a croak. 

The sentinel woke up immediately and turned to him. “You need something to drink?” 

Aiden nodded and he watched as the man stood, his eyes widened slightly as he realized just how big this man was. He had to be at least six feet tall. He was surprisingly gentle when he helped Aiden take a drink from a nearby cup.

“Thanks,” he said. 

“No problem. I'm Ronon Dex,” he said.

“Aiden Ford,” Aiden replied.

“I know,” Ronon smiled. “You had a lot of people worried about you.”

Aiden looked away. “I wish I could say that I didn't know what I was doing. But what I remember of it, I really thought I was doing the right thing.”

“You were hurt,” Ronon replied. “You lashed out. It happens.” 

“It's not that simple.” Aiden said looking Ronon in the eyes. 

“It can be, if you let it,” Ronon replied. 

“I abandoned my post. I attacked fellow soldiers.” Aiden countered. “I'm looking at a court martial at least. My military career is over.”

“Military is overrated.” Ronon replied. “I was military on my planet.”

“What planet was that?” 

“Sateda,” Ronon replied. 

“Are you going back there?” 

“Not any time soon,” Ronon said. “Maybe when you're feeling better.”

“Why would that matter?” 

“We could go together.” Ronon suggested. “If you're agreeable.”

“Together?” Aiden wasn't sure what he was suggesting. 

“If you're agreeable,” Ronon repeated.

“I'm not sure...” He felt a gentle push on his mind. His mental shields were almost nonexistent, but there was a presence just outside the room who was actively shielding him from anything beyond.  
It was a strong vibrant presence that he knew all too well. He felt tears well in his eyes. “McKay?”

“Were you expecting someone else?” The scientist's mental voice was as clear as if he were standing next to the bed. 

“Why are you helping me? I hurt you, tried to kill you.”

“I don't blame you for what happened, Aiden. You weren't in your right mind.” McKay sighed. “Your shields need to be rebuilt, but you're in no condition to do that right now. John sent for a mind healer from Earth, but it'll take a few more days for them to get here. Until then you've got me. Don't like it, tough.” 

There was no arguing with McKay when he got belligerent so Aiden changed the subject. “Why is Ronon Dex in my room?”

“If you listen to your heart, you'll know.” McKay gave him a mental poke. “Like you should have done where John is concerned.”

“No, I didn't- I'm not-”

“Shut up and stop talking to me, I hate this mystical mental crap. Talk to the sentinel sitting next to you. He's wrecking his back on that horrible chair because he won't leave. Get to know him, he may look like a Mad Max reject, but you might be pleasantly surprised by what is inside.”

Aiden felt the mental doors to McKay's mind slam shut, but the shield stayed in place. McKay had a very weird way of showing he cared. That thought made the weight in Aiden's chest lift a little. If McKay cared enough to yell, that meant he thought Aiden was worth saving. He turned to look over at Ronon Dex again, who was watching him closely. A familiar head poked up from bellow the level of the bed, it seemed as though his spirit animal was floating in mid air, which was odd, until the head of the spirit animal he was actually resting on came into view as well.

“I thought I was hallucinating when I saw her last time,” Aiden said softly

“Sheppard told me skeets are similar to a creature that lived on your planet millions of years ago.” Ronon places a hand on the top of the skeet's head and rubbed it gently. “This is Farroe.”

“My spirit guide is a Marshal's Eagle.” Aiden said. “Her name is Torque.” He looked over his spirit animal with a critical eye for the first time in weeks. “She looks terrible.” 

“She's better than she was,” Ronon offered. “Mckay and Sheppard's spirit animals have been helping Farroe take care of her.” 

“I guess that means I'm getting better?” he asked.

“Slowly,” Ronon confirmed. “Doc says it'll take time.” 

“Tired,” Aiden said, his eye drooping. “You should get some rest.” 

“I'll stay until you're asleep.” Ronon replied. 

“Okay... Thank you.” He drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

** ** 

Ronon stepped out of the infirmary and was surprised to find Teyla waiting for him. “I haven't seen you all day.” 

“I was on the mainland,” she said. “I thought you might like some new cloths. The ones you were wearing weren't going to survive a washing.” 

“I doubt you have anything that would fit me,” Ronon replied.

“You would be surprised how many of my people are quite tall,” Teyla said with a smile. “These were going to be for Halling, my second in leadership. But he was happy to give them up for one who has survived so long on their own.”

“Thank you,” Ronon took the bundle and went to the rest room nearby. When he was dressed in the soft leather tunic and woven pants, he felt a bit more civilized. 

“This suits you well,” Teyla said. 

“Thank you, again,” Ronon replied. 

“Please come with me, Dr. Weir would like to have a word with you,” Teyla said. 

“Should I worry?” Ronon asked.

“While I don't know what she wishes to talk to you about, I doubt you have anything to fear.” They entered a small closet, that Ronon assumed was a lift, but Teyla touched a button and suddenly they were in a new section of the city. 

“Ancestor technology,” Ronon breathed in amazement.

“Yes, you will find yourself becoming accustomed to it quickly enough,” she replied. He followed her into the room that held the Ancestor's Ring there were a dozen or so people going about their business. It was an odd feeling, to see so many other people and not be a threat to them just by being there.

Teyla brought him up to a glass walled office with a brunette haired woman was working behind a desk. Teyla opened the door and motioned for Ronon to enter. 

“Dr. Weir,” Teyla introduced. “This is Ronon Dex. Ronon, this is Dr. Elizabeth Weir.” 

“A pleasure to finally meet you, Ronon,” Weir said with a diplomatic smile. “I'm not sure we could have rescued our missing man without your help.” 

“You helped me, it only seemed fair.” Ronon said with a shrug. 

“Right,” Weir swallowed against something she was going to say. “Col. Sheppard informed me that you would like the opportunity to bond with Lt. Aiden Ford.” 

“Once he is well enough, yes,” Ronon replied. “He's not ready to make that kind of decision yet, but our spirit animals seem to get along.” 

Weir shifted in her chair, as though the mention of spirit animals made her uncomfortable. “The military wing that Lt Ford belongs to has requested he be turned over to them for debriefing. I'm not certain the Marines would be comfortable with what they would see as an alien bonding with one of their soldiers.”

“You don't want me to bond with Aiden?” Ronon asked, keeping his expression neutral. “Because I'm not from your planet.” 

“You're an unknown quantity, Ronon,” Weir replied. “Surely you understand.”

“Strange,” Ronon said. “Sheppard told me that bonding is revered by your people. That keeping sentinels and guides apart is forbidden. I think he called it 'bond interference'.”

Weir paled. “That is not my intention.” 

“Maybe, maybe not.” Ronon said. “You should talk to Sheppard about that. I know I will.” 

“I'm going to send Aiden back to Earth on the next dial out,” Weir said sternly. “It is best if he is removed from any temptation while he recovers.”

“I think you're afraid of him now. I think he was someone you put a lot of trust in, and he turned on you.” Ronon replied. “I think you don't want him here as a reminder of just how dangerous the Wraith really are.” 

“He is addicted to Wraith enzyme, so long as he is in Pegasus, he will always be considered a liability,” Weir said standing. 

“You're wrong,” Ronon said simply. “And he'll prove you wrong.” 

** 

The next morning Ronon headed down to visit Aiden when he heard an argument coming from the infirmary. 

“What the fuck do you mean you're taking Ford to the gate room?” That was McKay his voice was hard.

“We have our orders, Dr. McKay. Please step aside.” 

“Touch me, Sergeant, and you will regret it,” McKay replied.

Ronon broke into a run and found himself being passed by Sheppard, who came out of a transporter behind him. “Son of a bitch!” he growled as he ran. Ronon turned the corner as someone cried out in pain. He saw a man in a green colored uniform on the ground clutching his hand. 

“I did warn you.” McKay said to the downed soldier.

“What the hell is going on here?” Sheppard demanded. “Stand down all of you, you are not authorized to move the patient.”

“My orders are clear, sir. My men and I are to take Lt. Aiden Ford into custody and take him to the Gate Room for immediate dial out and transference to Earth.”

“Who the hell are you?” Sheppard demanded. “I know the face of every man and woman under my command.”

“My orders come from Col. Caldwell.” 

“This is my base, I am the military commander here, Sergeant,” Sheppard growled. “If you don't back off right now, I will have you thrown in the brig.” As he spoke Atlantis security officers came running, weapons free.

“Col. Sheppard, stand down,” Dr. Weir ordered as she walked calmly into the corridor. Col. Caldwell was a step behind her. He had a swagger to his step that spoke of confidence and self importance. Ronon knew the type all too well from Sateda. 

“What the hell is going on?” Dr. Beckett demanded, entering the fray. “This is the infirmary, not bloody Parliament.” 

“Dr. Beckett, I need you to prepare Lt. Ford for transport,” Weir said. 

“Like hell,” Beckett replied. 

“This is not a request, doctor.” Caldwell retorted.

“When it comes to my patients, I have final say, and Aiden is in no condition to go anywhere,” Carson replied. “His mental shields are in tatters. The only thing keeping him from losing himself to the noise of five hundred minds is the fact that McKay has been shielding him for the last three bloody days.” 

“He is a danger to himself and others. He needs to be on Earth where he can be properly treated,” Weir replied. 

“He needs to be with people that know the truth about what happened to him, not in the GSA wing of a VA hospital where he'll disappear into the system,” Sheppard shot back. “Why they hell do you think I have the Apollo headed here at top speed? They are bringing a mind healer to work with him on base because He. Can't. Be. Moved.” 

“Col. Sheppard, you better watch your tone,” Caldwell said.

“You may outrank me Colonel,” Sheppard said, stepping into his personal space. “But I am the Sentinel of Record for this base. You and all your men are threatening to harm a member of my tribe.” That statement made the soldiers shift nervously. “If you persist in this...,” he seemed to think about his words, “ill advised action. I will have no choice but to charge you and your entire crew with Bond Interference.” Half the soldiers dropped their weapons immediately. Sheppard turned to Dr. Weir. “I want to say that I am surprised, but I'm really not.” 

“Ford is a danger to everyone on this base,” Weir replied. “I was thinking of them.”

“Let's be clear,” Beckett cut in. “Ford isn't a danger, I told you that in my report. Everyone, every undisciplined mind on this base is a danger to him until he can build his shields back up. I was going to suggest we move him to the small clinic we found on the West pier once he was stable. But it seems pretty obvious I can't trust you to actually listen to me.” 

“Then why did he attack people when he was first injured, during the siege?” Caldwell demanded. “I read the report. He nearly killed you.”

“Because I didn't know that his mental shields had been all but destroyed,” Beckett replied. “He lashed out and thought we were all a threat to him. If I'd known I would have put him in a medically induced coma and sent him to the mainland.”

“And the reason you didn't utilize McKay's abilities back then?” Caldwell demanded.

“Excuse me, do you remember what was going on back then?” McKay demanded. “I hadn't slept in nearly seventy two hours. I was barely maintaining my own shields with Sheppard's help. I couldn't have shielded a gerbil much less another guide from all the negative emotions that were running through the city at the time.”

“And you're saying you can now? What if there is another crisis?” Weir asked. “We can't take the risk.” 

“Ford has been with us for less than a week and you want him gone,” McKay crossed his arms and glared at Weir. “The entire command staff went to Earth with him still missing, we were gone for over a month. The only sentinel on the base, the only person who had a prayer in finding him quickly was removed from the field because of politics.” 

“The IOA ordered us to return to Earth,” Weir said. “I had nothing to do with that.” 

“I think that speaks more about how she didn't want her one petty manipulation known,” John replied. “After all, with Ford gone it would have been my word against hers. Who would believe that she had agreed with Sumner about trying to force a bond between me and Aiden?”

“I did nothing of the kind!” Weir denied.

McKay suddenly winced. “You all need to leave. I can't maintain the mental shields for Ford with twenty people's mixed emotions pushing at me all at once.”

“Out, all of you,” Beckett ordered pointing at Caldwell's men. “If I see any of you within a hundred yards of this infirmary and you aren't bleeding out, I will have you arrested.”

“Stand down, men,” Caldwell ordered. “Return to the Daedalus and resume your normal duties.” 

“Thank you, Colonel.” Beckett said. “Now the rest of you get going.” 

Sheppard made a subtle hand signal and his security teams melted away back through the corridors where they came from. 

“Go check on Ford.” McKay said, turning to Ronon. “Tell him everything is okay, he's a little freaked out and could use a friendly face, I think.” 

Ronon shot a distrustful look at Weir before heading into the infirmary. Ford was sitting up in his bed, all but one of the restraints were gone and he looked like he was ready to bolt. “Hey,” Ronon said with a quirked eyebrow. “Going somewhere?”

“I was thinking of taking a trip to the mainland.” Aiden replied. 

“Well, I was thinking the same thing,” Ronon smiled. “I'd like to meet Teyla's people.”

“They're actually really great,” Aiden smiled a little. “But I was thinking of staying away from people for a while.”

“You can't run forever,” Ronon said. “Eventually you run out of places to go.”

“Says the guy that kept ahead of the Wraith for six years.”

“But I had no where to rest,” Ronon said softly. “No one to share my heart with.” 

“I'm not sure I'm ready for anything,” Aiden admitted. “But I can feel a pull toward you, like I haven't from anyone else.” 

“In my world, we had a caste system,” Ronon said. “If you found someone a Steward or a Guardian that was for you, and they were of another caste, you would suffer the rest of your days knowing that the person that was for you was just beyond your reach because our society forbid it.”

“That's horrible,” Aiden stared at him. “What happened if they bonded anyway?” 

“Most were exiled through the Ancestor's Ring, never to be seen again. Even now I don't know what address was used or where they went.” Ronon shook his head. “There was one pair, during the culling. A general named Kel found out about a cross caste bonding. He executed them, he was more concerned about maintaining rigid rules than protecting his people.” 

He took Aiden's hands in his, there was a soft thrum between them. “When a pairing is found within the bounds of the same cast, it is called Solace.”

“Solace means comfort during a time of suffering,” Aiden said.

“Yes, we all suffered,” Ronon said. “But took solace in the few pairings that found each other and were accepted. We all lived in hope of finding our own.”

“We could be each others Solace,” Aiden suggested. “When I'm better.” 

“When you're ready,” Ronon agreed.

 

** **

One month later.

Aiden sat in the rear seat of Jumper 2 with his Sentinel, Ronon Dex at his side. He turned to look at the man who had saved his life, his soul, from the darkness that had overtaken him. They were going on their second mission together with AR-1 and AR-3. It was a recon mission that had been postponed until he had been given the green light for gate travel. 

Today they were going to Sateda for the first time. The MALP they had sent when Ronon had first come to Atlantis had shown a city in ruins with no signs of life. However, they had learned over the first year that many planets that the wraith attacked in order to 'send a message' to the rest of Pegasus had pockets of survivors. 

With two bonded pair's abilities and Ronon's knowledge of the planet, they hoped they would find people alive and help them if they wanted it. 

Ronon had been, for all he looked scary, the kindest person that Aiden had ever met. He could kick the ass of any Marine on the base and could outrun Sheppard any day of the week. He was also whip smart. He had an eye for construction and engineering that Zelenka and McKay were more than happy to cultivate. They didn't have any way to translate earth written books into Satedan, so Aiden would read them to Ronon, even if some of it was over his head. In turn, Ronon had figured out how to construct an advanced version of an Archenemies screw, to help with the irrigation problems on the mainland, by using only local supplies. 

The settlement turned out to be a much better place for Aiden to heal than on the city, once his shields had been rebuilt. There was no underlying fear that he would attack anyone, there was no temptation to run through the gate in order to find a Wraith to kill for its venom. He helped with the planting and looked after the children when they needed it.

Then he and Ronon would go deep into the woods to hunt wild game and learn about each other more. They had a bond, it was growing slowly and naturally. He had decided that maybe he had needed to get lost in Pegasus to lose himself in order to find the one thing he had been looking for. 

He glanced over at Ronon again. The sentinel smiled and reached for him. They linked hands and Aiden sighed at the comfort of their connection. Solace was the right word for it. Comfort in a time of suffering. 

Pegasus would always suffer until the Wraith were destroyed. They had a lot of work to do.

 

End


End file.
